Universal Declaration of Human Rights
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (also UDHR) is a declaration adopted by the United Nations General Assembly (A/RES/217, December 10 1948), outlining a view on basic human rights. John Peters Humphrey of Canada was its principal drafter, aided by Eleanor Roosevelt of the United States, René Cassin of France, and P. C. Chang of China, among others. While it is not a legally binding document, it served as the foundation for the original two legally-binding UN human rights Covenants, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and the International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights. It continues to be widely cited by academics, advocates, and constitutional courts. International lawyers often debate which of its provisions can be said to represent customary international law. Opinions vary widely on this question, from very few provisions to the entire declaration. The Guinness Book of Records (GBR) describes the UDHR as the "Most Translated Document" in the world, translated as of 2004 into 321 languages and dialects. Other works are more translated, however; for example, the Bible is also described in the GBR as "translated into 2,233 languages and dialects." Some of the translations available on the UNHCHR website contain unrectified mistakes. Eleanor Roosevelt referred to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights as "a Magna Carta for all mankind". References in Entertainment The rock band U2 projected the UDHR onto an enormous screen after performing their song "Running to Stand Still" during their Vertigo 2005 world tour concerts. Their presentation also included individuals from around the world speaking selected articles of the UDHR. Notes See UDHR translation citation under Arts and Media - Books & Magazines at the Guinness World Records website, http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/ Retrieved September 13, 2005. See Bible translation citation under Arts and Media - Books & Magazines at the Guinness World Records website, http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/ Retrieved September 13, 2005. See also *Magna Carta, England, 1215 *English Bill of Rights, 1689 *Virginia Declaration of Rights, June 1776 *United States Declaration of Independence, July 1776 *United States Bill of Rights, completed in 1789, approved in 1791 *Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen, 1789 *Constitution of the Soviet Union, first 1918 *Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, 1982 *Convention on the Rights of the Child, 1990 External links * Official UDHR Home Page * Questions and answers about the Universal Declaration * Complete text of the Universal Declaration Category:Ethics ast:Declaración Universal de los Derechos Humanos bm:Hadamaden josiraw dantigɛkan zh-min-nan:Sè-kài Jîn-koân Soan-giân ca:Declaració Universal dels Drets Humans cs:Všeobecná deklarace lidských práv da:Menneskerettighedserklæringen de:Allgemeine Erklärung der Menschenrechte et:Inimõiguste ülddeklaratsioon es:Declaración Universal de los Derechos Humanos eo:Universala Deklaracio de Homaj Rajtoj fr:Déclaration universelle des Droits de l'Homme fy:Universele Ferklearring fan de Rjochten fan de Minske ko:세계인권선언 it:Dichiarazione universale dei diritti dell'uomo he:ההכרזה לכל באי עולם בדבר זכויות האדם ln:Lisakoli ya molongo ya makoki ya moto hu:Emberi Jogok Egyetemes Nyilatkozata nl:Universele Verklaring van de Rechten van de Mens ja:世界人権宣言 no:Menneskerettighetserklæringen nn:Menneskerettsfråsegna pl:Powszechna Deklaracja Praw Człowieka pt:Declaração Universal dos Direitos Humanos ro:Declaraţia Universală a Drepturilor Omului ru:Декларация прав человека sc:Decraratzione Universale de sos Deretos de s'Òmine simple:Universal Declaration of Human Rights sk:Všeobecná deklarácia ľudských práv sl:Splošna deklaracija človekovih pravic vi:Tuyên ngôn Quốc tế Nhân quyền zh:世界人权宣言